Former Nationals leader John Sharp the latest politician to buy in Southern Highlands

An imposing country estate at Exeter in the Southern Highlands, Rona Lodge has been sold to the former National Party Federal Minister John Sharp, who sits on the Federal Government's Climate Change Authority.

It fetched $5.45 million, having last sold at $3.75 million in 2004. 

The Highlands has been popular with politicians.

Liberal MP and former tennis champion John Alexander paid $4.8 million last year for Iona Park, a 36 hectare estate and boutique horse stud at Moss Vale.

The former Hawke Government minister Graham Richardson owned the 4.5 hectare Burradoo retreat Bantry, before selling for $1.13 million in 2012.

Rona Lodge, completely renovated in 2006 has been for sale for nearly three years. It sold through Mick Maloney at Richardson & Wrench Bowral.

The traditional character home on six hectares has recently been used by its vendor David Graham as a holiday letting and wedding rental property.

In 2014 it was awarded Best Property for Weddings in the annual Stayz awards.

Last traded for $3.75 million in 2004, the five bedroom, four bathroom home with indoor heated pool includes separate staff quarters with two bedrooms.

Set in manicured private gardens, the estate lends itself to equine interests, with a stable complex, paddocks and shedding.

The home was marketed as a "quintessential Australian beauty".

 It comes with a five bedroom homestead plus a two storey self-contained two bedroom residence.

The master bedroom has its own sitting room, two dressing rooms and its own terrace.

There is also a formal dining room with its own fireplace.

The chef’s kitchen features a double gas range, separate walk-in butler’s pantry and an adjoining breakfast room.

Overlooking the gardens is the formal drawing room that features a Chinminee Phillipe fireplace.

A library is available with a Jetmaster gas log fireplace and it also contains two separate study rooms. There is a cocktail bar.

It also features a conservatory that overlooks the gardens and the tennis courts.

The grounds include a tennis court and pool. 

Stylemeisters David Kunde and David Graham retain Lindon Hall at Robertson which cost $5.5 million in 2008.

John Sharp, who retired from the parliament in 1998 after 14 years, is a keen aviator, having been a licensed pilot of both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft.

He has been quite active in his highlands property dealings.

This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph.